Is tomato a fruit or a vegetable??

The confusion about 'fruit' and 'vegetable' arises because of the differences in usage between scientists and cooks. Scientifically speaking, a tomato is definitely a fruit. True fruits are developed from the ovary in the base of the flower, and contain the seeds of the plant (though cultivated forms may be seedless). Blueberries, raspberries, and oranges are true fruits, and so are many kinds of nut. Some plants have a soft part which supports the seeds and is also called a 'fruit', though it is not developed from the ovary: the strawberry is an example. As far as cooking is concerned, some things which are strictly fruits may be called 'vegetables' because they are used in savoury rather than sweet cooking. The tomato, though technically a fruit, is often used as a vegetable, and a bean pod is also technically a fruit. The term 'vegetable' is more generally used of other edible parts of plants, such as cabbage leaves, celery stalks, and potato tubers, which are not strictly the fruit of the plant from which they come. Occasionally the term 'fruit' may be used to refer to a part of a plant which is not a fruit, but which is used in sweet cooking: rhubarb, for example. So a tomato is the fruit of the tomato plant, but can be used as a vegetable in cooking.

In scientific terms tomato is a fruit. It contains the seed so is therefore a fruit and not a vegetable. It is often used like a vegetable in cooking so that is where the idea of a tomato being a vegetable comes from. I have always grown up thinking of a tomato as a fruit. I can understand why many people like to think of it as a vegetable though. But it all comes down to what part of the plant the fruit or vegetable came from.

Tomato ,when raw and green it is a vegetable,we prepare curries with it.when it is ripe,and becomes red it is a fruit.we use it for seasoning and garnishing.

It's the fruit that eats like a vegatable. I am pretty sure it is classified as a fruit though. Although I have found tomato cake to be pretty tastey. I can't think of too many instances where it is used as a fruit. If anyone has any recipies for tomatoe based deserts, I 'd love them.

technically speaking tomato is a fruit used as a vegetable and watermelon is a vegetable used as a fruit...lol

I am very sure of this. it is considered a fruit... why??? hmm.... because it's ovary is based from a flower? the flower becomes seeds and then fruit. just like any other fruit. I think that's why its a fruit... not very sure.

Hi Neha, Just like the cucumber, I have always considered tomato as a vegetable though scientifically speaking, all veggies are ‘fruits’ of the plants LOL But they way we eat tomatoes and cucumber raw as in salads and then use tomato in cooking too, I think they would be more in the veggy section than fruits.

Maybe a 'Frugitable'?? :D

Well supposedly a tomato is a fruit but I keep thinking that it is a vegetable. I just can't wrap my head around it. Oh well.

Well in my mind, a tomato is a vegetable. However I have been told all of my life that it is a member of the fruit family. It doesn't taste like a fruit to me!

I say a vegetable. A lot of people try to say that because tomatoes have seeds they could be considered fruit - but I don't agree with that. They're a vegetable as far as I'm concerned.

For us here in house it's vegetable in the sense that this is being use or cook with vegetables. Though some people eat tomato like a fruit, make juice out of it. Here with us tomato is purely for cooking only as a spice with the other kinds as onion and garlic. The term may differ maybe because of purpose which depends on the consumers.

I a little remember tomato is vegetable.I think tomato is not good taste, and almost them use to cook, may not be fruit.

i think tamato is a vegetable and not a fruit.because this is the eatable which cant be consumed directly with out cooking.